A nine-yearold lioness may have been killed in a crocodile attack, suspect forest officials. This is the second big cat to die in the last two days in Khambha, the eastern part of the Gir sanctuary.

On Sunday morning, the forest department found the lioness' carcass. Primary investigation revealed that the lioness could have died due to drowning as the carcass was found floating in the pond. The possibility of poisoning was ruled out as the carcass had not turned black.

R L Meena, conservator of forest said that the recovery of the carcass floating in the lake, which is about 150-metre long reveals, shows that the animal may have drowned. He said that the lake also has some crocodiles; hence, the possibility of a crocodile attack cannot be ruled out. However, only a post-mortem would reveal the exact cause of death.

In a similar incident a lioness was found dead in the same area on Saturday. The officials said that it had died of old age.

Meena, however, added that a major cause of worry for forest department was that same water hole was being used by wild as well as domestic animals. He said that the post-mortem report of a lion revealed that the death was due to infection of worms. "There was large presence of worms in the animal which were commonly found in domestic animals," said Meena. This was only due to sharing of a water hole by the lion and some domestic animals.

A dinosaur fossil park will soon come up at Kheda district's Rayoli village which was once home to a large population of the species.

Some 1,000 fossilised eggs of the extinct species have been found at the site, at Rayoli village in Balasinor, some 85 km from here, which is now being developed as a 'dinosaur tourism' destination.

The site is governed by the Gujarat Ecological and Research Foundation.

"Balasinor dinosaur fossil park is a unique site, just like flamingo city of Kutch or Asiatic lion sanctuary at Sasan Gir. We are working hard to develop these places and turn them into international attractions," Tourism Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said.

The dinosaur fossils were first discovered at Rayoli in 1981 by the Geological Survey of India. A year later, approximately 1,000 dinosaur eggs were discovered, making this place famous among the palaeontologists.

Scientists say that at least seven species of dinosaur once roamed here; the fossils are estimated to be around 65 million years old.

Vyas said it was widely believed that this place was a part of the 'Shiva crater' that was formed millions of years ago by a meteor crash.

The meteor crash, and the later volcano eruptions devastated this area, scientists believe.

The state government has provided a grant of Rs six crore for the development of fossil park; the work is currently on.

Gujarat government invited a group of 50 palaeontologists to explore the site in 1997. Since then, a large number of palaeontologists have visited the area.

With an increasing number of man-animal conflicts being reported from the periphery of Gir sanctuary, efforts are being made to bridge the gap between villagers and the state's forest and environment department. A mobile van has been introduced to roam in the villages along the boundary and help in rescuing and conservation of the big cats.

Conservator of forest R L Meena said that this mobile van has been launched to understand the problems of the locals and issues related to the local beat guard and forest department. Apart from the bridging exercise, the mobile van will also have trackers, who will be helpful in case of emergency and rescue.

Deputy conservator of forest Gir sanctuary (headquarters) Sandeep Kumar said the mobile van will have two foresters, one guard and two trackers, along with a driver. The team, apart from talking to sarpanch and local residents, will also keep an eye on the movement of the lions and leopards in the particular areas. Kumar said the team will be staying in the open fields. Importantly, the team will survey the number and location of the lions in the periphery. "If the team finds that the pride in the area is new and has migrated from the nearby area, they will look for the reason of the shift. The team will also tell villagers about do's and don'ts if they spot a lion sitting in their fields," said Kumar.

"We also want to create a local network so that if anything major happens, this team should be the first to get the information," Kumar said, adding that if the team got complaint of some serious conflicts between the big cats and the people, they would call a rescue team and shift the lion to the sanctuary.

The team would also maintain a register of their visit the village and will also be accompanied by the local staff from the area. It would also take down the details of the killing of domestic animal and learn if the compensation was paid in all such cases.

The state government has made it clear that superstar Amitabh Bachchan was not paid any remuneration for acting as Gujarat's brand ambassador. This is the first time that the government has made an official statement in this regard.

In a written reply to the Jodiya MLA, Raghavji Patel's query, the state government said that the superstar had agreed to be the state's brand ambassador and for advertisement campaigns for which he was not paid any fee or remuneration.

State tourism department officials said that Bachchan had visited the state twice. While in the first trip, he shot in Somnath, Girnar, Bhuj in the second one he shot at Ahmedabad, Porbander and Dwarka.

Tourism officials said the super star also proposed to have a light and sound show for Dwarka, Ambaji and Somnath and had agreed to lend his voice for the same.

Government officials said that in 2009 and 2010 the government spent nearly Rs 37.66 crore on the advertisement campaign for the state's tourism department. The amount spent in 2010 was over Rs 20 crore which included lodging and boarding expenses of the superstar and his crew members who were in the state for the campaign - Khushboo Gujarat Ki.

Officials said that as a result of the advertisements and aggressive campaigns by the state government, tourism had risen. The last months of the year 2010 had seen a huge rush at Sasan Gir, the only abode of the Asiatic lions.

The state government is considering a proposal to increase the compensation granted to the kin of victims of lion attacks, Gujarat Forest Minister Mangu Patel told the state Assembly today. Patel was replying to a question asked on a recent death of a woman in lion attack near Gir sanctuary. "We are contemplating increase in the compensation amount for the victims of lion attacks," Patel said. Presently, state gives Rs 1 lakh. Last week, Sarojben Mohanbhai, a 45-year-old woman, was killed by a lion near Moruka village of Talala taluka, in Junagadh district. "The lion has been caught by the state forest officials and has been sent to Animal Care Centre in Sasan Gir," Patel said. The village is near Gir Sanctuary. Incidents of lion- attacks on humans and domestic animals have increased in the last few years.

At least 29 lions, including 10 cubs, have died in the past eight months since the census April last year. The state government said this replying to Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia's query in the assembly on Wednesday.

The three-day lion census was held in the state from April 24, which found 411 lions in Gir and its surrounding areas. However, the government refused to say how many cubs were born after the census and simply said that, "The birth rate and survival rate of lions is more than the death rate. Hence it is estimated that there would be more number of lions, than those reported during the census," said the government reply.

Of the 411, 97 were lions, 162 lionesses and 152 cubs. Officials however played down the deaths and said this only meant that four animals had died on an average in a month in the last eight months. Past records show an average of 37 lion deaths every year. An official said that in 2007 there were 40 deaths including six by poaching, in 2008 it was 42 and in 2009 there were 30 lion deaths.

However, a senior forest official said that lions were spotted in about 10,500 sq km area right from Girnar hills, coastal area of Bhavnagar and even outside the sanctuary. Officials further said that the government has increased the security cover in the area, initiated new security measures and security staff. Forest officials have also been provided with sophisticated equipment for patrolling in the dense forest areas.

The state government has decided to stick to the original alignment of the Girnar Ropeway Project, rejecting alternatives suggested by the the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

"We have stuck to the original alignment because no other alignment is viable," said S K Nanda, Principal Secretary, State Forest Department. He said the decision was reached after a detailed study. The original alignment is through Bhavnath Taleti, which lies on the foothills of Mount Girnar and is not far from Junagadh.

Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had suggested the state government to study possible alternative routes in the ropeway's alignment so it would pose less threat to the critically-endangered Girnari Giddhs (Long-billed Vultures).

On February 7, the Minister had granted in-principle approval for the ropeway, but subjected it to six specific conditions. The first of these was that the state would "conduct a study to consider alternative alignment of the ropeway project, preferably along the Dattar/Bhesan side to ensure that it does not cut across the prime vulture habitat and minimises disturbance to the nesting, roosting and ranging sites of birds and other wildlife species..."

Nanda said, Usha Breco Limited, which has been awarded the ropeway project, submitted it's report on an alternative alignment on March 23. They were carefully studied, but were found non-viable. The state Forest Department will forward the report to MoEF in some days, Nanda added.

Incidentally, soon after Jairam granted in-principle approval to the project, experts expressed their apprehension over the viability of the alternative alignment.

Nanda said the Bhesan alignment was tedious because it was too far, and would have necessitated forest land acquisition (Bhesan is surrounded by a thick forest area). Besides, the town is far from Junagadh city, the main tourist area from where pilgrims approach the mountain. To reach Bhesan from Junagadh, pilgrims will have to trek 35 kilometres through Gir Sanctuary. Driving would mean an even longer journey from Junagadh city — first to a village called Vadal, and from there another 26 km to Bhesan.

Gandhinagar, Mar 23 (PTI) Twenty nine Asiatic lions including ten cubs died in the famous Gir forests over the last eight months, the Gujarat Assembly was told today. "The death of 19 Lions and 10 cubs has taken place in the Gir forest region and surrounding areas since the Lion census was conducted in April 2010," Forest Minister Mangu Patel stated in a written reply to a question of State Congress President Arjun Modhvadia. Modhvadia, had raised a question asking about the status of Asiatic Lions till December 2010, post the census conducted in Gujarat. As per estimates of the Lion census conducted in April 2010, there were 97 Lions, 162 Lionesses and 152 cubs in and around Gir forest region of the state, which is also the last abode of Asiatic Lions. The 2005 census had recorded presence of 359 lions here. While there have been many deaths, many new cubs were born in the last breeding season, state forest department officials said.

A 45-year-old woman was today killed by a lion near Moruka village of Talala taluka of Junagadh district, police said. Sarojben Mohanbhai was dragged 50 feet before killed by a big cat when she had gone to field in the morning, police officials said. Moruka village is located near Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagadh district.

Sarojben's body has been sent for postmortem while angry villagers demanded proper compensation to the kin of the victim. Incidents of attack by wild animals on humans and domestic animals have been on the rise in the last few years, a minister had said.

There have been 162 incidents of attack by wild animals on humans in Gir forest region in the past three years, Environment and Forest minister Mangu Patel had recently informed the state assembly. In all, 6399 incidents of attack by wild animals, 162 on humans and 6,237 on domestic animals, have been reported from villages situated in vicinity of the forest region, Patel had said. In the last census of lions conducted in 2011, the forest department had found 411 lions in and around the Gir forest.

In order to conserve the single isolated population of Asiatic Lions, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had some time back initiated habitat feasibility study through the Wildlife Institute of India. The study has inter alia identified Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh as an alternate home for the Gir Lions.

This would also be used for release of wild lions from Gujarat. But, according to the ministry of state for Environment and Forests, while the Madhya Pradesh government is agreeable for translocation of Gir Asiatic Lions in Kuno Palpur, Gujarat government has so far not cleared a proposal to part with Gir Asiatic Lions.

The matter is subjudice before Supreme Court of India in view of IA no. 100 in Writ Petition (Civil) 337/1995. There is no proposal to set up eight new Lion reserves in the country. This was informed by Jairam Ramesh, the minsiter, to a question by Bharatsinh Prabhatsinh Parmar in Rajya Sabha

The state government has admitted that around 2,700 wells in the area outside Gir Sanctuary were still uncovered, posing danger to the big cats.

Replying to Jodiya MLA Raghavji Patel's query, the government said that earlier there were 15,021 open wells outside the sanctuary. The state had later adopted a fixed policy to make a parapet or cover for the wells. The government said that by December 31, 2010, 12,328 open wells had already been covered. The remaining 2,700 odd open wells would also be covered as per the availability of the funds.

A senior forest officer said that the cost of covering ranged between Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 for one well. The government has decided to give grants with an upper ceiling of Rs 8,000 per well. He said that the grant was decided based on the size of the well.

While 15,012 wells existed in and around the sanctuary, the forest officials said, the lions' movement were not restricted to the same area. The lions now roam in an area of around 10,500 sq km, right from Bheshan in Junagadh to Mahuva and Palitana in Bhavnagar. What's more, no surveys had ever been done in the other parts of Saurashtra region where lions have been spotted.

The state government, in reply to another question by Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia, told the House that Barda Dungar in Porbandar and Jamnagar were being developed as the gene pool of big cats. There are plans to relocate lions from Gir Sanctuary to Barda. To give the big cats a natural habitat, the government is increasing the prey base in the area.

Monday, March 14, 2011

A leopard, which ensnared in trap meant for wild boars, died outside the Gir forest on Friday night. The forest department arrested Paresh Nagji for laying two traps made of two-wheeler's clutch wires.

Deputy conservator of forests Anita Karna said that in one of the traps a leopard was found dead; while the other trap was lying open about 10 metres away.

Nagji told forest officers that he had not laid the trap for big cats but for wild boars. Karna said that the incident took place about five to six km away from the sanctuary. The leopard was killed after its neck got strangulated in the trap. The trap was laid in the revenue area outside the farm of Atul Sekhada. The area, where the trap was laid, was outside the sanctuary and the protected area.

A senior officer from the forest department said that this was not an incident of poaching of big cats as organised gangs do not set up such traps. He said that this was mainly for the wild boar or herbivorous animals.

A couple of incidents have been reported in the Gir and nearby areas where some herbivorous animals were poached. The gang was making fake lion claws and selling them in the open market. Forests officials said that such traps are laid for the small animals with the intention of catching and eating them.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The lions of India, once on the verge of extinction, are making a comeback at the Sasan Gir National Park.

The lions seem oblivious to the presence of humans. Maybe they feel totally unthreatened in this privileged environment, where national park status has seen the end to poaching.

Whatever the case, they play and cavort as though the paparazzi (camera-wielding visitors like myself) aren't even there. But then, what visitor would not feel shutter-happy here?

India's Sasan Gir National Park is the last remaining lair of the impressive (OK, maybe even majestic) Asiatic lion. With the 2010 census indicating that lion numbers had risen to 411 — up from just 177 in 1968 — the species now appears to have been saved. It's a far cry from the time around 1880 when just 12 lions were reported, the remnants of a species that once roamed the whole of northern and central India.

A lioness on the prowl in Sasan Gir National Park, perhaps looking for prey like the sambar deer (below).

At the time, the lions seemed to face certain extinction.

It just may have been the Nawab of Junagadh who saved the Asiatic lion. His report of 1880 may have deliberately understated the real number of remaining lions in an attempt to gain public sympathy. And not a moment too soon, as the species had progressively become extinct across the whole of the rest of India from around 1840 in the eastern state of Bihar to about 1870 in Rajasthan. By 1913, it is believed, just 18 lions remained in the whole of India.

The ancient walled city of Junagadh, gateway to Sasan Gir National Park, is the de facto "capital" of the region of Saurashtra, a subregion of the state of Gujarat. Astonishingly, Saurashtra used to be home to no fewer than 212 of India's 562 independent kingdoms. Junagadh, with its mango orchards, gum-tree lined streets and houses draped with bougainvillea vines, stimulates all the senses at once.

I got to Junagadh aboard the comfortable and uncrowded Girnar Express, which leaves the state capital Ahmedabad at 9pm, arriving at Junagadh around six the next morning. Upon arrival, I was immediately blown away by a city that combines the ancient and modern in a bewildering manner, as though the Guggenheim Museum had somehow been moved right next door to The Sphinx.

One of Junagadh's principal claims to fame is the famous monumental rock just outside the city walls, bearing the inscriptions of the great Emperor Ashoka, dating as far back as 273BC.

Emperor Ashoka was a ferocious military leader who, sickened by the results of his conquests, became a model ruler, promulgating a series of edicts inscribed on rock pillars all across India.

The 14 Junagadh edicts (all revolutionary for the time) enshrine the rights of women and slaves; enjoin the planting of trees and medicinal herbs; and encourage "growth in the essentials of all religions".

Other must-see (and must-climb) sights include the extraordinary Mahabat Maqbara, the 19th century mausoleum of Baha-ud-din, which with its florid stone canopies and towering spiral staircases looks like something out of Lord of the Rings.

The City Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) probing into the murder of RTI activist Amit Jethava has given a clean chit to the controversial BJP MP from Junagadh, Dinu Solanki, in the case. S M Chaudhary, the investigation officer, recently submitted an affidavit in the Gujarat High Court with reference to a petition demanding CBI probe into the case.

In its affidavit, the DCB official has stated that they had interrogated Solanki on September 16 last year and found no evidence showing his involvement in the same.

Jethava was shot dead in front of High Court in July last year. His father, Bhikha Jethava, has alleged that the BJP MP from Junagadh was behind the killing since his son had filed a PIL in the HC to check illegal mining in the periphery of Gir Sanctuary, which is allegedly going on at the behest of Dinu Solanki.

It seems that the Central or state governments are not concerned with the conservation of lions as neither has made adequate allocation for their conservation.

In the last three budgets, the state government allocated only Rs 8.93 crore towards conservation of the big cats; and for the 2011-12 budget there is no allocation at all. The Centre, which has taken up an Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme, has also allocated less than Rs 75 crore in the last three years.

To Congress MLA Bhagwanbhai Barad's query, the state government replied that in the last three years, from 2008-09 onwards, the Centre has sanctioned just Rs 71.24 crore. The state government replied that these were sanctioned for conservation and management of the big cats, for improving the lion habitat, eco-tourism, eco-development and for advertising and creating awareness on environment.

Of the Rs 71.24 crore sanctioned, the government spent Rs 64.08 crore on lion conservation and for improving their habitat.

A senior official said that no funds had been allocated for conservation of the Asiatic lions in Gir. When state government officials raised the issue with the Centre, they cited paucity of funds under the Central government-sponsored IDWH scheme as reason for non-availability of funds.

Significantly, the Gujarat government has sought Rs 262.36 crore for conservation initiatives. Though the grant was approved in principle, the time and allocation as well as release of funds for lions is uncertain.

Also, the Gujarat government's denial to part with lions for Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh was another reason. Sources in the know of developments claim that the highest priority is to halt the diminishing tiger population in the country and all funds are being directed towards that effort.

State Forest Minister Mangu Patel today said that the Gir sanctuary area is not enough for the lions there due to their increasing population. Patel said this in the Assembly in response to a question by Abdasa MLA Jayanti Bhanusali during Question Hour.

Bhanusali had asked as to when was the last lion census done, if their population had increased compared to the previous census and whether the sanctuary area was enough for the big cats considering their increasing population.

Responding to this, Patel informed the House that the last census was done in April 2010, which showed the number of lions had increased by 52 compared to the 2005 census. As per the present population of lions, the sanctuary area is not sufficient, added the minister.

In another question, Talala MLA Bhagwan Barad asked the minister how many incidents of attack by big cats on humans and animals were reported in the Gir sanctuary and forest area and the compensation paid to the cattle owner and human victims.

In his reply, Patel said a total of 6,399 such attacks were registered in the last three years in the Gir sanctuary-national park, Girnar forest area, Veraval and Sutrapada coastal forest areas. Of these, 162 attacks were on humans. He added that 20.6 lakh were paid as compensation to the human victims and Rs. 129.67 lakh to the owners of cattle.

State Forest Minister Mangu Patel today said that the Gir sanctuary area is not enough for the lions there due to their increasing population. Patel said this in the Assembly in response to a question by Abdasa MLA Jayanti Bhanusali during Question Hour.

Bhanusali had asked as to when was the last lion census done, if their population had increased compared to the previous census and whether the sanctuary area was enough for the big cats considering their increasing population.

Responding to this, Patel informed the House that the last census was done in April 2010, which showed the number of lions had increased by 52 compared to the 2005 census. As per the present population of lions, the sanctuary area is not sufficient, added the minister.

In another question, Talala MLA Bhagwan Barad asked the minister how many incidents of attack by big cats on humans and animals were reported in the Gir sanctuary and forest area and the compensation paid to the cattle owner and human victims.

In his reply, Patel said a total of 6,399 such attacks were registered in the last three years in the Gir sanctuary-national park, Girnar forest area, Veraval and Sutrapada coastal forest areas. Of these, 162 attacks were on humans. He added that 20.6 lakh were paid as compensation to the human victims and Rs. 129.67 lakh to the owners of cattle.

A total of 162 attacks on humans and 6,237 attacks on cattle have been reported from in and around the Gir sanctuary since the past three years. The government has paid Rs 50 lakhs per year as compensation for the attacks.Forest and environment minister Mangu Patel in a written reply to Talala MLA Bhagwan Barad said that in the last three years, 6,399 animals and humans have been attacked in the Gir sanctuary and nearby areas. These attacks were mainly in the Gir sanctuary, Veraval, Sutrapada and other costal areas. The attacks on the humans were on the rise, while those on the cattle were declining.A senior officer who refused to be quoted said that the decline in the attack on the cattle was because of chital, sambhar and neelgai leaving the sanctuary and being spotted moving in the outskirts of villages. The official also attributed this to the increase in population of these animals.About the attack on humans he said that the animals including lions and leopards, which are moving out, are now seen in an area of about 10,500-square kilometre right from Bhesan in Junagadh and Mahuva in Bhavnagar.He said 162 attacks on humans were reported from Junagadh district alone. The Gir sanctuary has a carrying capacity of only around 290 animals against the ever increasing population. Due to this, herbivorous animals are leaving the sanctuary in search of food.He said that since the concentration of wild animals, including lions and leopards, was more in Gir sanctuary, it resulted in territorial fights, driving the beasts out of the sanctuary. Another officer attributed the decrease in number of attacks on cattle to the shifting of maldharis, the shepherd community, out of the sanctuary.

There have been 162 incidents of wild animals attacking humans in the Gir forest region in the last three years, Gujarat Forest minister Mangu Patel stated in the Assembly today. In all, 6399 incidents of attack by wild animals have been reported from the Gir forest region. Of which, humans were the victims in 162 cases, while in remaining 6237 cases, it was the domestic animals in the neighbouring villages; the minister said in a reply to the question by Talala MLA, Bhagwan Barad. In the cases of attack on humans, compensation of Rs 20.6 lakh has been given to victims or their kin. In the cases of attack on domestic animals, Rs 129.67 lakh have been paid to the owners. The minister said that Rs 2357.54 lakh had been allocated for various activities in the Gir forest region for the year 2010-11. Out of this amount, Rs 1640.05 lakh had been spent so far, he said. The money was spent on forest conservation and management, long-term conservation and nurturing of lions, maintenance of soil humidity; development of water bodies, eco-tourism; environment-related promotions and advertising, and salaries.

The Asiatic lions of India were hunted down all over the country and they found refuge in a tiny corner of the Saurashtra peninsula which was their home for most of the 20th century. Now, slowly but surely, the lion is reclaiming his larger kingdom.

The Gir national park and sanctuary is unable to contain the growing population of the lions. As their numbers grow from the count of 411 done in mid-2011 , the lion kingdom today is nearly 10,500 sq km — almost one-fifth of Saurashtra.

As many as 114 lions have drifted way beyond the protected area and spread out into other areas of Amreli, Bhavnagar and Junagadh districts. The length of this kingdom, spread across southern Saurashtra , is a whopping 200 km as the crow flies. Having learnt to live close to friendly human habitations, the lion is moving even out of the forest corridors, feeding largely on domestic cattle in villages which had never seen lions before.

The first census in 1968 put the population at 177 lions, all of whom were within the protected zone of Gir sanctuary and national park. Kausik Banerjee, senior research fellow with the Wildlife Institute of India, says, "These areas are not new to the lions. They are only recolonising their past territories."

HS Singh, Gujarat's additional principal chief conservator of forests ,says, "In 1800, lions were found in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. In 1857, 200-odd lions were hunted in Delhi and nearby areas. The Gir National Park and surrounding area can accommodate only around 300 lions, forcing others to move out." Neighbouring Madhya Pradesh wants some Gir lions relocated to the Kuno Palpur sanctuary. But cramped for space, Gujarat's lions have themselves decided to wander around and park themselves wherever they wish. Think about it in another way. Earlier, you had to travel nearly 400 km from Ahmedabad to spot a lion. Now, the beast is half the distance away.

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Soon after he exposed how bricks were bought for six times their value for roads that were never built in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Amarnath Pandey was shot near his home.

The bullet, which he believes was fired by contractors who were benefiting from the brick scam, clipped his ear and grazed his skull, leaving him in hospital for weeks.

Pandey, 56, a doctor from Robertsganj, a sleepy city 400 miles (640 kilometres) from New Delhi, has been fighting for better civic amenities in the area for more than two decades.

He used India's new Right to Information (RTI) Act, passed in 2005, to find out why roads were not being constructed despite funds allocated by the government -- and the facts he discovered nearly cost him his life.

"I found that 100 bricks that costs 400 rupees (eight dollars) were shown to be purchased at 2,400 rupees. Money was conveniently being siphoned off and roads were never built," Pandey told AFP.

"The contractors involved in the wrongdoing resisted my efforts and decided to kill me," he said after undergoing surgery for his gunshot wounds.

No one has yet been arrested over the attack in January.

Pandey refuses to be put off and is determined to unearth other corruption scams using RTI, a law introduced to promote accountability and good government through giving open access to official data.

It was hailed as a major breakthrough for India's bureaucratic and graft-ridden public service culture, but few people foresaw the violence that the RTI act would unleash.

At least 11 people were killed, or died in unexplained circumstances, last year after exposing corruption in public utilities, mining, food distribution and unauthorised water and electricity hookups, according to RTI activist groups in New Delhi.

In July 2010, environment activist Amit Jethwa, from the western state of Gujarat, was shot dead by two men on a motorbike outside a court.

Jethwa, 35, had been using the RTI act for two years to fight against illegal mines operating inside the Gir lion sanctuary, the only natural habitat of the endangered Asiatic lions.

"My son dared to ask questions and his fate was sealed by two bullets," Jethwa's father Bhiku Batawala told AFP.

Hundreds of other whistleblowers have been attacked, threatened or harassed for pursuing similar crusades, said Manish Sisodia of Kabir, a voluntary organisation who has been spreading awareness about RTI to encourage its use.

The organisation has initiated a "RTI-brotherhood" campaign to provide safety to whistleblowers.

In the latest case, the daughter-in-law of a man who exposed a pension scam in Haryana state was allegedly murdered by a village council head whose role in the corruption had been exposed.

"Mahabir Singh along with his friends had filed RTI to expose the district-wide misappropriation of funds carried out by the village head Dharamvir Malik," the Times of India reported on February 14.

"Malik and his associates retaliated by beating up Singh and running their vehicle over his 25-year-old daughter-in-law, Sonu, who later died in the hospital."

Last September, justice minister Veerappa Moily called murdered RTI activists "martyrs" and said action was needed to protect those who exposed wrong-doing.

The government now plans to propose the new law in the current parliamentary session, but RTI activists say delays in the police's response would still provide ample opportunity for any "vested interest" to plot their revenge.

The Bihar Human Rights Commission, a government body working in the eastern state of Bihar released a report last year on harassment of people who made RTI requests and asked the government to suspend 54 guilty officers.

The commission said no action had been taken over the misconduct in Bihar, one of the most underdeveloped states in India.

Sumankant Raichaudhari, a teacher in Bihar's capital city, Patna, says he has filed 150 applications to find out more about money budgeted for government schools and whether it was all being used on students.

The authorities reacted by trying to bribe him and, when that failed, they threatened to kidnap his teenage daughter, he said.

"I filed a police complaint against the two government officers but no one has been arrested," Raichaudhari told AFP.

Mumbai-based Sumaira Abdulali, who founded the Movement against Intimidation, Threats and Revenge against Activists, has been attacked twice for exposing a multi-million-dollar sand mining scam allegedly involving politicians, civil servants and police.

"I fought to expose how our government is infected with corruption and greed and now I fight to save my life," said Abdulali, who had filed a court case against her attackers in 2004.

Abdulali says she is not optimistic the new "whistleblowers" bill would help.

"A few determined people will continue their fight, some will be killed in the process but I worry about the day when people will give up this challenge of cleaning up the system."

Indian activist Amit Jethwa poses at an undisclosed location in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Photo courtesy: AFP

Notorious poacher Durru, who was lodged in the city central jail for the last two years, was handed over to Gujarat police on Tuesday for an investigation into cases of killing of lions in Gir National Park.

A CID Forest Cell official said the accused was arrested for having links with Prabhakar Gajakosh, a forest contractor-turned-hunter. Gajakosh is behind bars ever since he was caught in 2007 with a whopping 23 leopard pelts.

Following investigation, it was revealed that Gajakosh had links with poachers in north India, including Sansar Chand, who was responsible for killing a number of tigers in Sariska and other tiger reserves up north. Officials from the CID Forest Cell said that accused Durru was arrested in 2007 and he will be brought back to the central prison in Bengaluru on March 16.

The Gujarat police had sought Durru's custody in connection with the investigation into the poaching of 10 lions in a span of two months in a peculiar fashion in Gir. The lions were not shot, but were trapped using snares.

The operation was such that once the lion was trapped, women would close in on the trapped animal and kill it animals using spears and wooden clubs.

"The investigations revealed that the crime was done by members of Katni tribe in MP and it was also found that the tribesmen had contact with smugglers such as Gajakosh and Durru, who also hail from MP," said a official.

Meanwhile, CID Forest Cell ADGP KSN Chikkerur said that DNA mapping of seized pelts is being handled by scientific agencies and soon there will be considerable amount of DNA data on tiger and leopard pelts available with CID. "It's important to trace the origin of the pelt and where the animal was hunted. Several wildlife institutes and central investigating agencies are creating a DNA bank of tigers and soon this will hold the key to investigations in case there is a death of tiger," Mr Chikkerur added.

A leopard attacked a farm labourer's family and killed a two-and-half-year-old boy on Tuesday night in Junagadh district.

According to police records, Bharat Makwana of Jafrabad came to work at Prakash Bhetaliya's sugarcane farm in Talala's Bhojade village. Makwana lived with his family at the farm.

On Tuesday night, he was sleeping in the open with his son Jaydeep when a leopard attacked. Makwana and his wife woke up on hearing noise and were shocked to see their son in the mouth of the leopard. Jaydeep died on the spot.

The Gujarat government has asserted that it has still not heard from the Centre about its demand for Rs 262.35 crore to fund Greater Gir Lion Conservation Project. In a written reply to senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia's question in the state assembly, state forest and environment minister Mangubhai Patel said, the project was sent to Delhi for approval in 2009 and that "it has still not been approved".

Giving a breakup, the minister said, of the Rs 262.65 crore, the biggest share of Rs 179.08 crore is meant for relocating people who still live in the Gir sanctuary area. The money demanded is under the head "village eco-development and voluntary relocation of forest dwellers, including Gir maldharis". Another Rs 39.47 crore has been demanded to "promote habitat and wildlife protection".

In all, money has been demanded under 10 different heads, which include habitat improvement (Rs 15.43 crore), wildlife and nature education (Rs 11.88 crore), veterinary care (Rs 6.99 crore), survey demarcation and land related works (Rs 1.08 crore), general operations and maintenance (Rs 25 lakh), and management and planning (Rs 18 lakh). The state government wants to build Gir lions' corridor in the surrounding area of Gir national park and sanctuary.

It includes areas like Girnar mountains, Mitiayla sanctuary, Pania, Junagarh, Bhensan, Visavadar, Vendarda, Kodinar, Una and Hati areas of Junagadh district; Dhari, Rajula, Liliya, Bagasara, Savarkundla and Khambha areas of Amreli district; and Gariyadhar, Jesar, Palitana and Mahua areas of Bhavnagar district. "Once the allocation is made, we will decide how to implement the project in the Gir lions' corridor that has spread to these areas", the minister underlined.

The state government has sent a proposal to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to regularise the forest encroachment by Essar Group at Hazira near Surat.

State Forest and Environment Minister Mangu Patel said this in the Assembly during Question Hour on Tuesday in response to a question by Congress MLA Mohmad Farukh Sheikh.

Patel told the House: "The government had registered a case against Essar Steel Company under the Indian Forest Act 1927 for the illegal encroachment on survey No 434-A-1-1 land (20.76 hector). Essar Company has applied for the regularisation of the buildings (residential quarters and other buildings). The government has proposed to the Centre to regularise these encroachment under the certain conditions."

The encroachment is estimated at Rs. 250 crore.

In a subsequent answer, Patel said: "We have asked the company to pay Rs. 29 crore as a 2.5 times of the market rate of the forest land as penalty and compensatory land in the lion corridor near Gir."

He told the Assembly that the state government had registered various cases against the company in connection with the encroachment. Sheikh had asked for the number of complaints filed against Essar as of December 31, 2009 by the Vyara deputy forest conservator. Sheikh had also wanted details about the action taken by the state government.

Patel refused to comment when contacted by The Indian Express.

Sheikh said: "It's shameful that instead of taking exemplary action against the company for criminal violation of the Forest Act and encroachment on forest land the government has proposed to hand over the land to the company at throwaway prices which will be huge loss to the state. The government should have taken strong action against company's owners, officials and the government officials. I will write to the Government of India to reject the state government's proposal and if needed will approach the High Court."

Patel had told the House a year ago: "Essar encroached forest land in survey number 434/1/1 in 2006, and the Deputy Conservator of Forest had registered four complaints. Action has been taken under the Indian Forest Act of 1927. The first complaint (forest crime No. 1 dated January 19, 2007) concerned Essar Steel's ongoing construction of a building on the encroached land and the construction has been stopped."

The second complaint, also dated January 19, 2007, related to the Encroacher's Act of clearing land and starting work on the installation of a fencing in survey No 334/A/1. Patel had said the fence installation had been stalled.

The third complaint, dated February 6, 2007, was the outcome of Essar's attempt to build houses on the forest land. Patel had said the construction work had been stopped in survey no 178 and 181, and the last complaint (October 30, 2007) had initiated the process of removing the encroachment in its entirety, but the task had not been completed yet.

Surat's assistant public prosecutor and the assistant government pleader had recommended action against four officers: two range forest surveyors, one surveyor and the DILR office's surveyor, Patel had said on record in the Assembly last year.

A commission inquiring into the Surat floods of 2006 had said that Essar's encroachment in Surat district and Hazira was a triggering factor for the deluge.

The Mysore Zoo is making space for Asiatic lions from Gujarat after sending a pair of lions and a cub to Shimoga on Tuesday.

The tiger and lion safari at Tavarekoppa near Shimoga will now house the lions and female cub from the Mysore Zoo. The exchange programme was approved by the Central Zoo Authority and by the Zoo Authority of Karnataka.

The hybrid lions are sent to Shimoga to provide spacious enclosure for the Asiatic lions arriving from Sakkarabaug Zoo in Junagadh, zoo executive director K B Markandaiah. "We now have a male and female hybrid lions," he stated.

The Junagadh zoo is known for purebred Asiatic lions and is extending services in Indian and international endangered species captive breeding programme.